RTI For Empowerment

Friends,

RTI Act empowers each citizen to make an effective contribution in improving the democratic governance. This right also implies a distinct duty on each one us.

Implementation is at initial stages. Each one of the stakeholders (Central and State Govenments, Public Authorities, Information Comiisioners, Public Information Officers and the citizens) are at initial stage of the learning curve.

This enactment would enable citizens to demand better performance from the Government, as it gets implemented in letter and spirit.

Re: RTI For Empowerment

Things happens to be not straight as envisaged. I don't think any more awareness required. What awreness one need to provide the information asked by the cityzen ? If the information is held, does not fall under the exceptions specifically stipulated in the Act and does not tresspass into the privacy of others in certin cases what is the problem in giving the information ? The PIOs should be made to chanage their mind set from "Why give the information ?" to "Why not give the Information ?"Now the information is denied to the public simply because an inconvenient question has been asked.

Nothing can salvage the cituation unless the the PIOs are exemplary punished exactly as stipulated in the Act.

Re: RTI For Empowerment

Originally Posted by Dhirendra Krishna

Friends,
Implementation is at initial stages. Each one of the stakeholders (Central and State Govenments, Public Authorities, Information Comiisioners, Public Information Officers and the citizens) are at initial stage of the learning curve.Dhirendra Krishna IA&AS (Retired)
Yahoo group rti4empowerment

Dhirendra Krishna Sir,

When do you feel this "initial stages" will be over and we will be in the "later stages" ?

Re: RTI For Empowerment

Friends,

In UK there was a gap of five years between the enactment and implementation. In the intereving period, there were training programs for the officers of public authorities (in India , the training is largely for public authorities), changes in systems and procedures to make public information readily available to citizens (in India, no major changes in record keeping are visible) and clearly earmarked financial allocations for implementation of transparency laws (no earmarked budget allocations by central and state Governments in India.) As such, there is no focus on systemic reforms envisaged in RTI Act. UK is much smaller than India and therefore implementation of transparency laws is far more complex in our country.

The "initial stage" would continue until the systemic reforms envisaged in RTI Act remain unimplemented.

I have attempted to cover this aspect in various items posted in yahoo group rti4empowerment, which can be seen by non-Members, as well. I have also posted a detailed analysis of RTI implementation in India in copperwiki and copy is appended as a file in rti4empowerment. May be of interest to persons working in the field.

I feel surprised that the RTI Activists are bogged down with issues relating to individual RTI Applications instead of pressurising the Government to implement systemic reforms envisaged in RTI Act.

Re: RTI For Empowerment

I feel surprised that the RTI Activists are bogged down with issues relating to individual RTI Applications instead of pressurising the Government to implement systemic reforms envisaged in RTI Act.

Dhirendra Krishna

Dear Dhirendra Krishna,

Our portal RTI India has been established for the limited purpose of providing authentic and analytical help to netizens in their individual issues and also to provide a rightful interpretation to the Act. Launching a movement or to pressurise the government in any other manner is beyond the scope of the boundaries we have set for ourselves. The same have also been emphasised in our Registration Rules, which have been agreed upon by our members when they registered.

Nowonder you will find that the activists of this forum will confine themselves to individual RTI issues and not to use this place as a launch-pad to pressurise the Govt.

Defeat is not final when you fall down. It is final when you refuse to get up.

Re: RTI For Empowerment

Friends,

The issue raised by me is about RTI Activism in general. It is not directed to RTI India Portal.

What is surprising is that Government has overlooked systemic reforms and no one is making noise about it. Government and the Public Authorities do not have the power to ignore the provisions of RTI Act {Section 4(1)(a), 4(2), 4(3), 4(4) and 26.} Law passed by the Parliament should be implemented by the Executive. It is being ignored with impunity and citizens are silent spectators ? If these laws are implemented in letter and spirit, information needed by citizens should get disclosed and disseminated, without RTI Applications from individuals.

I am sorry if this aspect is beyond the boundries set for RTI India. If so, my comments may be kindly ignored.